Collector or Listener or Both?
Big_Stacks
"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Hey Guys,The other "musical taste" thread made me think. Does collecting make some guys "fetishize" LPs which hold value as a "possession" as opposed to valuing them for its musical contents? I asked about this question before, but it seems relevant to the discussion in that other thread. I guess another question I'll ask about is how often (or regularly) do you sit down and listen, in a concentrated fashion (uninterrupted), to music? Are we like the greedy man hoarding his riches, or do we take time to splurge?Myself, I value the music (said this previously somewhere). My listening habits have varied over the years from compulsive, nearly every day listening for hours as a child (e.g., unhappy childhood related). Then, my listening diminished during the teen years through young adulthood, when I was running around chasing tail. In my current phase, beginning roughly around my mid-20's, I consciously make time to listen to music, uninterrupted. I now realize that time is finite, and I should take every opportunity to enjoy the gift of music (hell, I could croak tomorrow). And regarding my last question, I used to be the greedy man splurging, just obsessively piling up LPs in early adulthood. As I age, I now take more time to enjoy my riches (which coincides with a sharp reduction in my record buying), taking more time to enjoy and savor my LPs. Any thoughts would be appreciated.Peace,Big Stacks from Kakalak
Comments
I was thinking the same thing about my peers while I was in college. People would be listening to music while they studied and I never understood that. Whatever "music" you listen to must be boring enough for you to use it as white noise or whatever.
I think with records, there's definitely a lot more "fetishizing" cuz the physical cover of an LP plays a big role cuz it's used to spot records when digging. (as opposed to CDs, where album picture cover is small, and you listen to it in digital format, thus making covers pretty irrelevant). Digging is definitely addicting and even though i'm a casual buyer, I need to have my fix once a week. And when you go out to shops or swapmeets, you don't always find "that one bangin record which is at the top of your list" so many times you settle for what's available. So I think that's why record collectors tend to "collect" or "accumulate" many times.
Back when I was a teen, 3 CDs a month were plenty for me to digest.
I want to listen to, and only spend on ones I think are
of the highest musical quality - but as I accumulate more
and more albums, I find myself listening to albums more than maybe
a couple of times each less and less - and therefore feel myself
becoming more of a "collector."
However, as far as overall listening goes, I spend hours everyday
listening to my records...it's why I'm on here so much, really, cause
I'm always sitting around playing my records, with the Internet nearby
at hand. I think I may be heading towards the point of major reduction,
getting my collection down to a few hundred "essential" titles, that will
allow me to spend my listening time enjoying my truly favorite albums.
In terms of time spent listening to music, I actually wish I had more time. During the school year when I'm teaching I'm lucky if I get to listen to one record a day because I have so many responsibilities with the family. I actually find when I have a lot of papers to grade I listen to more music because the girlfriend and kid know to leave me alone so I can get through everything. Of course, I also have 2 months paid summer vacation right now where I can sit around and listen to as much music as I want.
Like someone else mentioned though, because I have so many records, and such a back log of records I haven't even gotten to, I usually only listen to a record once. I just went record shopping today and picked up 3 new records even though I have a stack of about 10-15 I bought a couple weeks ago I still haven't listened to, plus a shelf full of about 100 records, some dating back to almost 3 years now, that I haven't listened to once yet. That's coming back to the collecting part. I really shouldn't be buying new records if I haven't even listened to what I have already, but I usually get these urges and can't stop. Looking at eBay every day doesn't help either.
... UNTIL...
... I was a student and was bored to spend at least $ 15 by record and went hazardously in my first record digging session in a flea market in the mid 90's. My first digs were great and the LPs were in the $ 0.50 - $ 1.50 range. That's when I began my collection. The first 5 years of digging were intense and I was bringing piles and piles of records at home like a compulsive eater who's obsessed by missing food. In a way I did the right thing because there are a lot of records I picked up from this time I don't see anymore. Plus records (even the bad ones) are getting rarer in our french flea markets and record diggers are multiplying crazily. That was the time of "tons and tons" of vinyls brought at home weekly.
... BUT...
... I've always been an independant worker and can difficultly work without music, I'm an illustrator and need inspiration. Between 2 digging sessions I have the week to listen to my finds. I had periods of absolute fetishizm, making walls of fame and proud of my collection, etc... But I always listened and apreciated and needed and will always need music.
... NOW...
... I'm a father since 2 years, nearly 33 and nothing is more important than my family. When times are hard you'll find me selling small parts of my collection on eBay. Always need music everyday, fetishize on my records much less than before but I'm enjoying the benefits of having been a crazy digger before my son is born. Time isn't on my side anymore, but I've got some collections awating for me in their respective basements and I know years of digging couldn't bring me what I will find there. You'll hear about these as I intend to sell a good part of them (a lot of great french and italian libraries).
Not having television has helped me get to many, many records that I haven't ever listed to. I'm still trying to get my collection converted to MP3s because, ultimately, this allows me to listen to music in more places. I can burn CDs and take over to friends' places and not even worry about leaving them there. Making MP3s from vinyl is a bit of a chore, though. At least with ProTools.
Back on topic, a streamlined collection is a good thing if/when you ever have to move.
i dont buy records just to complete a collection. the ones that do are always the first ones to go on boards just like this one and start irritating, killjoy threads about how record collecting has gotten the best of them and how they cant enjoy it anymore now that theyve found a new life.
yes, i admit i geek out on weird labels and whatnot, but if it werent for the fine sounds on the vinyl, i wouldnt give half a damn about it.
my reactions to music are visceral and totally from the heart. the collecting part is there, but its secondary. #2. numero dos. that way, i can keep shit in the true perspective and i wont start threads on soulstrut that read like: "this record collecting thing is eating me alive - why did i ever buy 500 copies of Jimmy Smith's Portugese Soul album?"
i never looked at it like that.
for me personally, if its something relatively hard-to-find, and the price is right[/b], then i am gonna buy it regardless of how many records i still have in my "unplayed" pile. if i know im gonna see it again, then ill hold off.
Not having television has helped me get to many, many records that I haven't ever listed to.
strangely enough, ive been accumulating a few DVDs here & there, and because of the records, i havent really had time to sit and watch most of them. that dont mean im gonna get rid of the DVDs, because i know their time is gonna come.
Back on topic, a streamlined collection is a good thing if/when you ever have to move.
i got nothing against paring down the collection, as long as its something i know i wont miss. theres nothing sadder than seeing soulstrutters write: "that is a really good record! I used to have it[/b] and now im looking for it again."
While I am (a bit) older and we are still working on having the kids, this sums up my experience so closely it's scary. What he said!
Where on earth would you get such an idea?
That's not the issue though. I still bring home books, paintings, magazines, posters, dvds, etc. But I'm trying to control myself. As with most of you, I find things I like then seek out more. I really love LPs, but after moving many times I realized that per use, they were not worth the weight and space.
I don't think I would be at this point if not for technology. I used to dream (seriously) about the day that I could get any album I wanted for a buck. Now we have mp3 and high speed Internet and the music is virtually free. Today, I can have it all but so can most anyone else, so the music (mp3/CDR format) is not worth anything. That's cool by me. I have realized how well my "investments" did in collectables over time against other benchmarks...
>>have enough copies of Bob James One to plaster a full wall
>>actively hunt for the complete Merril Womach discography
>>buy any record that has a stock sunset cover(gotta find em all)
>>can't get rid of any records unless they got moldy because they were outise under a tarp cuz both your storages units are full
>>cant stand hearing a copy of something unless its OG no matter how scratchy
=collector thats got some things in common with me
Moved somewhere better and gradually built the CD and instrument collection back up over the last 10 years, but now everything is digital, I've got most of it archived onto DVD in mp3 format. Yeah, I could fetish the format (ogg, whatever) but if it sounds good this is seldom relevant. And yeah, I have sold twice over the number of CDs I now possess. They just take up room and gather dust now.
Believe it or not, as a dad of a 3 year old, the most time I get for muisc appreciation is at, or on the way to, work. I am lucky enoggh to be able to put the headphones on whenever I want. At home there's not the time. When else can I chill with the wife and kid (who are the best things evarr)?
Of course having slsk and the time at work is great too. I think I've gotten more new stuff in the last 3 years than in the last 10 together. If I think the artist deserves my financial support, we will see them live whenever possible.
Honestly, I don't think there is any shame in collecting things. We're all collectors. If we weren't, we would be satisfied with an MP3 file and call it a day. But, it isn't all about the music. It is MOSTLY about the music, but it is about cover art, and the thrill of finding something new or raer or unknown, and the visceral experience of putting a record on your turntable and all the various ceremonial aspects that surround playing a record, and then putting it back in the sleeve and filing it on the shelf with the rest of its bretheren.
I am both; yesterday, a friend came over to trade and we each played one-for-one, and it was about listening and finding new music, and about collecting things we didn't have. It was eerily reminiscent of getting together to trade baseball cards when I was young, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am ok with the idea that physical things affect my quality of life- the books on the shelf, the art on the wall, the records in the crates, the food in the pantry. I consume these things, and come out different after I've read/listened to/or eaten something (and I do think art can be as sustaining as food). And I like the comfort of knowing they are around. Same thing goes for a walk in the park, a bike ride in the morning, a day in bed with the lady, and countless other ephemera. I am a collector, a seeker, and a listener; always have been, and always will be. After a while I think I've come to realize that for me, the diversions aren't diversions- they are the main attraction, and that's what I am in for.
I pretty much agree with this.
Yes, I'm always buying records and whatnot. But in the end, it's something to be enjoyed that makes life easier to endure, like that walk in the park or day with the old lady mentioned above. Why the hell should we all feel guilty 'bout it?
Another thing I've noticed with this thread...little comments here and there like "I used to be into vinyl but my wife and kid comes first," or "my ladyfriend is way more important than my raer CTI rekkids in the corner there."
I'm not gonna lie - I wouldn't put my records before my wife/children either.
THAT'S BECAUSE I WOULD NOT PUT THEM IN THE SAME CATEGORY.
My wants and needs from some cold piece of vinyl is totally unrelated to my affection for a loved one. Why would I compare and confuse the two? My records are over THERE. My loved ones are over HERE. I'd never put one before the other, and I COULDN'T put one before the other 'cause that's two different areas. That's like comparing a Cadillac and a Kit Kat candy bar.